


Oculorum

by Jennypen



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-16
Updated: 2017-01-16
Packaged: 2018-09-17 22:23:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9348938
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jennypen/pseuds/Jennypen
Summary: Ignis' eyesight was no accident.





	

Loyalty, or duty. Ignis had never thought he’d have to choose between the two - both formed part of his remit as the King’s Advisor, and he’d spent years attempting to be the very definition of both.

Until Altissia, when he realised that loyalty and duty were not only different, but he had been acting them out for two different people - duty to his King; loyalty to his Prince. Altissia, when he had to let go one of those go.

_*_

_“I leave Noct in your care.”_

_*_

_“Guys, you’ll help with the evacuation effort.”_

_*_

He hadn’t even questioned it - the moment that Noctis had issued the directive, Ignis had nodded, obeying in a heartbeat. He was halfway across Altissia, hearing Noctis screaming over the comms before he realised just how easily he’d forgotten Regis’ assignment.

The section of the city he’d elected to evacuate was empty; his efforts successful, and he could still hear Noctis crying out, almost drowned out by the screeching of the Astral as she released her fury. Ignis ran with everything he had, past exhaustion, dispatching several magitek soldiers as he raced to where Noctis was being battered anew by Leviathan, her rage probably heard all the way in Insomnia. He cleared several streets until he was met with a dead end - there was no way down. The entire quay had been ripped away, swirling in the maelstrom surround the Tidemother, but from here Ignis could see everything - awed briefly by the terrifying sight of a god made real, frantically, Ignis searched, until his eyes landed on Noctis.

He was unconscious, falling slowly through the air.

“Noct!” He cried out, starting forward and realising he was powerless - too far, it was too far…

Panicked, he watched the path of Noctis’ descent - a flash of white, and Ignis’ heart leapt - Luna, huddled on the ground. It was probably her magic stopping the prince from dropping like a stone. He landed and she rolled over him, tendrils of magic Ignis knew well curling around them both. His relief was short-lived as the waves swelled and Leviathan’s huge form bore down on them, intent on dealing the killing blow. Even Luna seemingly unable to defy her might any longer, holding Noctis close. This was surely the end - Ignis took a step back, about to jump, to swim, to do whatever it took to get to the prince, but the whole world shook, and everything changed in that instant.

Titan’s sudden appearance sent a spray of water cascading over the broken quay, knocking Ignis against a broken wall, dazing him. His vision blurred briefly, and when he looked again, both Astrals had disappeared, leaving behind a great spiral of lifted ground in the eye of the storm. The water was receding, and right in the centre, Ignis saw the yin-yang of Noctis and Luna, curled around each other. He squinted, just making out the splash of red across Luna’s middle.

 _No_.

“Gladio, Prompto, it’s over. We have to get to Noct,” he called into his comms, hearing static.

“Oh, he can wait a little while,” came a voice uncomfortably close behind him, and Ignis whirled on the spot, to be met with the imposing form of the imperial chancellor, smirking at him. A transport airship hovered silently nearby, loading door open. He could see dozens of sets of glowing eyes staring out from the darkness inside.

“Chancellor,” Ignis said, voice calm, belying his worry. The odds had been heavily in favour of Ardyn appearing at some point, but Ignis was surprised that he was on the fringes and not personally involving himself with Noctis. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Ardyn bowed, exaggerating the gesture with a sweep of his hat. “I had the idea that perhaps I have been taking the wrong approach with our dear young prince - perhaps I was a little too… casual. Is it not normal to go through the Royal Advisor first?” His smile was a little too wide, and he placed the emphasis on the entirely wrong part of the sentence.

The phrase ‘go through’ had never sounded so sinister.

“That would be tradition,” Ignis agreed, keeping his muscles tense. He still heard nothing through the comms; no-one had answered his earlier message. Either the chaos of the Astrals was interfering with the signal, or there was something more serious going on. Given his current occupation, Ignis was becoming more inclined to believe the latter.

Ardyn’s laugh was deep and musical, amused at something Ignis could not yet identify. “Tradition is important to the Lucii,” he said seriously.

“Are you here for one of your charitable turns? If not, then I must be getting on,” Ignis said. “Royal Advisory duties and all.”

“Goodness, you are a proper little lapdog, aren’t you?” Ardyn said with a chuckle. “He’s lucky to have you.” He quirked an eyebrow, then, and his smile grew. He jerked his head, nodding in Ignis’ direction. Ignis took a step back, but there was nowhere to go. “Very lucky. I do wonder where Regis got you from. I notice you have a delightful accent,” Ardyn went on, imitating Ignis perfectly. It was far too close to Ardyn’s own natural cadence for comfort. “One I know very well.” Ignis’ eyes widened; the limit of his reaction. _No,_ ** _no_** _-_ ”

Ignis looked at the still-swishing water off the broken end of the quay - he shifted his weight, preparing to jump. He looked back at Ardyn, and the man laughed - a proper, loud bellylaugh. “None of that, now, my dear man,” he said, and Ignis felt the familiar sensation of negative energy in the air before his own body flared with a tingling buzz. He crumpled to the ground, unable to move, staring upwards. Ardyn stepped over him, grin still in place.

“Sir,” one of the troopers said as it stepped forward. “The little one has reached the prince, but we have captured the bodyguard. He is en route to your command ship. Do you want us to retrieve the prince?”

“No,” Ardyn responded. “I have what I need. Bring him.”

* * *

 _Well, fuck_ , Gladio thought. He groaned, head swimming as he was roused by a sharp jostle. It took him a moment to realise what his movement added up to - he was being dragged between two magitek grunts. The background hum told him he was on an airship, likely a large one given the grand height of the hallway. Imperial, unquestionably - the last time Ardyn had given them a ride, it had also given Gladio enough of a grounding in imperial craft design to recognise it even through the fog of what was likely a concussion. Sliding doors in front of them parted, and he was yanked roughly into the room and deposited on the ground.

It was only when he put his hands out to save himself that he realised he’d been cuffed. He went down, hard, grunting with the impact. Scrabbling for purchase, he finally managed to push himself up to sitting. Breathing hard, he tried to blink away the fog in his vision so he could take in his surroundings. Looking around, he saw there were only two figures in the room - Ardyn standing off to his right, regarding him with the air of a child with a new toy, and Ignis, bound to a chair, tight-backed and serious. Gladio met his eyes and stilled. Ignis gave the slightest headshake, eyes narrowing as, Gladio realised, he was assessing his wellbeing.

“Ah, and both of the pseudo-parents are here. I won’t keep you long, who knows what the children could get up to.”

“Why’re we here in the first place, then?” Gladio asked before he could stop himself.

“Because I could,” Ardyn dismissed the question with a wave of his hand. “I wanted to commend you both on the marvellous job you’ve done raising the prince - he’s a sweet little thing, is he not?”

Gladio pursed his lips, stealing a glance at Ignis. The blond was impassive; self control far stronger than Gladio’s own. Ardyn, however, was waiting for an answer, and Gladio didn’t trust his mouth, now. Thankfully, Ignis, always perfect with his words, spoke up.

“Prince Noctis is the Chosen Lucian King, and acts as such.”

Ardyn’s smile disappeared. The backhand came so swiftly that Gladio hardly realised it had happened, except that the sound echoed in the large room. Ignis’ face was flung so far to the side that the chair he was in lifted briefly off the floor, clunking back down hard. Gladio bared his teeth but held himself in check. Ignis stayed where he was for a moment before slowly returning his head to a neutral position.

Ardyn took a deep, steadying breath, colour visible in his eyes as his dilated pupils returned to normal. The anger in his face seeped away, expression slackening to a lazy grin.

“A little rude for someone in your position,” Ardyn sighed. “A terrible role model for the ‘Chosen Lucian King’, don’t you think? What kind of behaviour do you want Noctis to pick up? Not that little Noctis has much of a chance to learn much from you,” he said blithely, looking sideways at Ignis. Gladio bristled; the insult was so patently untrue it beggared belief. Ardyn caught the slight movement and glanced at him, meeting his eyes.

He smiled entirely too wide, and Gladio knew he’d unwittingly given the man a weapon.

“At first,” Ardyn started, “I thought perhaps losing the love of his life would hamper the little prince, perhaps start a little character growth? Goodness knows he needs it. If losing dear old Dad didn’t kickstart it, then what else would?” He leaned in very close to Ignis, carding a finger through his hair. Gladio was astounded at Ignis’ control - he didn’t even flinch at the touch, but then Ignis had spent most of his life being trained to be a quiet voice in Noctis’ ear - most people had no idea the man was as physically capable as he was, but even though Ignis was known for being stalwart, Gladio did not realise it extended this far.

He wondered if fear had anything to do with it.

Then Ardyn’s words trickled through and he caught their true meaning.

“Luna?!” Gladio blurted.

“Dead,” Ardyn answered, eyes gleaming. “Soft as anything. Even stupid enough to try to heal me before she passed out, and I was the one who killed her,” he chuckled, though the set of his jaw was grim. “Don’t worry, she healed what of Noctis she could before she passed away. All very touching.”

Gladio flexed and shifted his wrists behind him - Ardyn’s implication was horrifying. First Regis, now Luna - if his plan was to destroy everyone close to Noctis one by one…

“Then it occurred to me that the Oracle was just an ideal - Noctis hadn’t even spoken to her since he was a child, had he?” That wasn’t strictly true, but clearly Umbra had operated entirely under Ardyn’s radar. “So I thought - what could I do to cripple our little prince? I’m happy to wait for him at the end of his journey, but… he needs to get his act in gear a little. Then you,” he said, poking Ignis in the cheek, “Run right into view and it made me think - no wonder the prince is as childish as he is, with someone like you alongside him.”

The only reaction Ignis gave was a slight furrowing of his brow.

Unperturbed, Ardyn casually went on. “You drive him, cook for him, clean up after him. In the capital, you attended his meetings for him, made notes for him, all so he could ‘lead a normal life’ before he took on his duty. You babied him; treated him like a child. As a result, you have an imbecile of a King in waiting - the Crystal may have chosen him, but Regis chose you. I can see the merit in it - a bold political move, Iedolas must have been rubbing his hands in glee at the idea of it.”

…What?

Gladio’s eyes narrowed. He tried to search for something in Ignis’ expression, but Ignis was stock-still and impenetrable. His mind raced - what did Ardyn mean? He tried to think back to the circumstances of Ignis’ arrival in the citadel, but he was too young - he remembered being introduced to the first kid who’d ever come close to his height, quiet and bookish, and being taken aback when he was told Ignis was to be Noctis’ advisor - barely two years older than the prince himself, but Ignis’ maturity showed itself immediately, and it just became a fact of life after a little while.

What was Ardyn implying?

Still, Ignis did not move, but from here, Gladio could see how tense he was.

“In any case, here you are, but I think it’s time for the prince to take some baby steps into the real world, don’t you, Ignis?”

He lifted a hand, and flames danced to life from the palm, red at first then turning blue with intensity, finally becoming a glowing whitish purple, and _that_ was when Gladio finally saw the first, proper reaction from Ignis - he swallowed heavily and tilted his head back, away from the fire.

Ardyn gave a sound of amusement. “Don’t worry, your life is safe,” he assured. “I’m learning that I’ve been taking the wrong approach. It’s easy to grieve for the dead, but you can’t mourn the living.”

“No-” Ignis said, voice high, and Gladio gave a wrenching pull against his bonds, to no avail - he was helpless to watch Ardyn calmly remove Ignis’ spectacles from the bridge of his nose, tuck them into Ignis’ top pocket and then press his flaming hand against Ignis’ left eye.

**Author's Note:**

> V short fic idea I just wanted to get out of my head before it ate me alive!


End file.
